Children in abuse case shot with weapons and burned with hot water, prosecutors say

SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. — The abuse suffered by siblings at the hands of their parents in a Northern California home included being waterboarded, bitten and burned with scalding water, prosecutors said in court papers.

The accusations were made in a motion filed Tuesday by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office in an attempt to increase the bail of the children’s mother, Ina Rogers, before her court appearance on Wednesday.

Rogers, 30, and the children’s father, Jonathan Allen, 29, face allegations of child neglect, torture and abuse involving their children after the children told investigators they had suffered puncture wounds, burns and bruising, as well as injuries consistent with being shot by pellet guns or BB guns.

In March, authorities searched the Fairfield home of the couple and their 10 children after taking one child, who was reported missing, back to the home. Fairfield police said they found disgusting conditions, including animal and human feces spread on the floor. The children range in age from 4 months to 12 years old.

“During the investigation the children thoroughly described the incidents of abuse. On a continuous basis the children were getting punched, strangled, bitten, shot with weapons such as crossbows and BB guns, hit with weapons such as sticks and bats, subject to ‘waterboarding’ and having scalding water poured on them,” Deputy District Attorney Veronica Juarez wrote in asking for a judge to set Rogers’ bail at $495,000.

On Tuesday, Rogers was charged with nine counts of felony child abuse, according to an amended complaint. She had faced an earlier misdemeanor charge of child cruelty. She pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and her bail was set at $495,000.

Allen, who was charged Monday with nine counts of felony child abuse as well as seven counts of torture, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His bail was set at $5.2 million. Both Allen and Rogers are in custody.

“Obviously, the charges against Mr. Allen are very serious and we take them seriously. They are, of course, merely allegations at this point. Mr. Allen is presumed to be innocent and has pled not guilty. We absolutely intend to vigorously contest these allegations, but we intend to contest these allegations in court and not through the media,” Allen’s attorney Tommy Barrett said in a statement.

CNN has reached out to Rogers’ attorney.

Rogers and Allen have denied wrongdoing in interviews with local media.

Rogers told CNN affiliate KGO/KTXL, “I strive and I pride myself on being a good parent to my children.”